Le Mont Saint Michel

On Monday we visited Mont Saint Michel, a rocky tidal island on the border between Normandy and Brittany. It holds the well-preserved breath-taking Norman Benedictine Abbey of St Michel at the peak, which is surrounded by a maze of winding streets and elaborate architecture of a medieval town. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.











Its known history begins in 709 when Aubert, Bishop of Avranches built and consecrated a small church on the mount. A community of Benedictine monks settled here in 966, and built the pre-Romanesque church. Over the centuries more buildings and levels were added by different groups of people. Military constructions were eventually built to protect against siege during the 100 Years War (which held up against a 30+ year siege).

The Mont became a great spiritual and intellectual center, an important point of pilgrimage for medieval people, who came here by roads called "paths to paradise," hoping for assurance of eternity. The abbey was turned into a prison during the French Revolution. Since 2001 friars and sisters returned to "ensure a spiritual presence" to the area. All through this long history the medieval town that surrounds the abbey was developing as well. The town is very pretty but also very touristy. It is a real challenge to choose which pictures to post--we snapped photographs throughout the day, and everywhere we turned was another beautiful view!